


A Relative Oddity

by Blue_Ladybug



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Relativity Falls, Gen, Teen Stans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-20 09:27:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16134419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Ladybug/pseuds/Blue_Ladybug
Summary: Since Stanley...left, Stanford has been doing terrible. Having failed both his senior year and his chance to get into any sort of respectable college, he's being shipped out to Oregon for the summer to live with a reclusive and eccentric great-aunt. There are mysterious caves, beautiful lakes, and deep woods to explore, but the universe doesn't seem willing to cut him a break, given that the root of all his problems is sleeping next to him, snoring like there's no tomorrow.





	A Relative Oddity

**Author's Note:**

> An AU where the boys end up in Gravity Falls after the science fair incident.  
> I really hope you enjoy this fic! I'm certainly having a blast with it! I will be covering most episodes, with some hopping and switching around. Thanks for reading!  
> My Tumblr: 13bluetacos

_Stupid town stupid train stupid school stupid college stupid Jersey stupid Oregon stupid Stanley_

Muggy air drifted in through the barred window above him, carrying the smell of fresh pine and dirt, mixing with the stale, dirty scent of the compartment. Ford shifted again on the pathetic excuse for a seat, finally setting down his battered physics book in defeat. He sure as hell wasn't going to get any more reading done today.

The evening sky behind the water tower, beyond the tree line was a bright, angry red–  
_red like the row of F's on his report card, his first in eighteen years, red like his bloody knuckles, bruised from bullies and the red brick wall behind the school, red like his father's face, red like the welts across his back, red like the bag his mother had pushed him onto the train with, red like the lips she'd pressed against his cheek with fake, honey-sweet reassurances..._

His face had grown hot. His fists were clenched, his teeth were clamped, he had a sudden urge to punch the compartment wall, _again_ –  
Ford forced his mind into other matters.

He was alone in the car. People had been trickling down, stop after stop. His last two companions, a wizened old man with a cane who kept trying to start up a conversation with Ford, and a hawk-nosed woman with huge round glasses who chatted on her phone loudly the entire time had gotten off three stations ago.

_Good riddance._

There were nothing but trees as far as the eye could see. A flash of faded mustard caught his eye; a dirty old billboard, welcoming him–

_They probably get what, two tourists a year? They're in luck, Sixer, you just filled half their quota!_

The past few days had metaphorically killed him. He was exhausted and cramped up from being shipped across the country, his journey somehow having sapped every ounce of his strength, but, ironically enough, he couldn't wait until the next time he would be hopping onto a train.  
  
_The sooner I get to leave this podunk town the better._

 _Hey, maybe you can hop the next train outta here. Life life on the road. Or the tracks, whatever. Old movie style! Or just run off and live in the woods like some sorta tree-huggin' hermit. Teach those deer all your nerdy math and science shit._  
  
He sat back in his seat again, a little groan escaping him. His gut was throwing a revolution against the meager contents of his stomach. Eating was difficult when every jolt and rumble of the track sloshed his insides around like some sort of disgusting milkshake.

 _Why do I get so carsick, or train sick, I'm the only one,_ Stanley _never–_

Finally, _finally_ , the train was slowing down, lurching to a stop, gently pitching Ford halfway out of his seat. The next few seconds were a scramble of grabbing his bags and dragging himself, feet numb and pins and needles crawling up his calves, to the compartment door.

  
The moment he stepped off of that vile train and onto the tiny, open-air station, he was being suffocated again, his face suddenly squished into a shoulder that smelled like fresh flowers and old lady.

_...and here we go._

_"_ Stanford! Oh, look at you! You've grown so much!"  
"Yeah, hi," Ford managed to choke out. He couldn't quite get enough air to say much more _._

" _GET BACK IN THE CAR!"_ She bellowed suddenly, barely keeping Stanford from jumping out of his skin with her embrace, tight as a boa constrictor.

"Oh, not you, sweetie," his aunt finally released him and he stumbled away a little as the blood rushed back to his head. "I'm keeping you a surprise. My newest employee doesn't know you're coming."

"Oh. Um, anyway," Stanford hoisted his bag back onto his shoulder. "Thanks for having me for the summer, Great Aunt-"  
She cut him off. "Oh, just call me Mabel! Or Grauntie, if you want."

"Okay... Grauntie," the word sounded _so_ weird in his mouth, "I'll try not to be a bother, really–"

"Oh, don't be that way!"

_Jesus fricking– I won't be able to get a word in on her all summer._

Ford was once again squished tight against Mabel's side.

_If I don't suffocate to death first._

"It'll be fun having you here! I guarantee, this'll be your best summer yet!"

 _Yeah, sure, a couple months alone in a mysterious cabin in the woods never hurt anyone_.

"It'll be good for you to get some fresh air, outta that stinky old town."

Ford laughed a little.  
  
"Grea-Grauntie, you haven't been to Jersey in, what–six, seven years?"

"Ah, seems like it was just yesterday. It took a solid _week_ to wash that stench off of me." She ruffled Ford's hair and grabbed his suitcase. "C'mon, kiddo, let's get you loaded into the car. I'm sure you'd like to get home. Trains are the worst."  
  
Mabel began to lead him through the dirt parking lot; two minutes of talking to her and he knew exactly which car was hers– (though the fact that the rest of the lot was empty helped) an atrocious yellow thing covered in painted pink flowers, a styrofoam bee stitting atop the antenna.  
  
The sun was right in front of them, and Stanford would be lying if he said the veiw wasn't breathtaking. The dark trees against the darkening alarm-red sky, the streaks of pale clouds, the silhouettes of birds and bats circling the forest, the encroaching deep blue...

_At least the scenery's nice_

"Don't take that blindfold off, now!" Mabel yanked him out of his introspection, yelling at the car again.  
"You know that I'll know!"

He could hear a faint grumble as the shadow in the driver's seat slouched, covering his face.

Mabel opened the trunk and hefted his suitcase in, setting his duffel bag on top and closing the whole affair with a satisfied little grunt.

To Ford's surprise, (though he figured he might as well start getting used to this)  
she pulled him close, hugging him tight.

"You two be good to each other, alright? Don't want you fighting an' all." She spoke in a low voice, pulling away before patting his shoulder and opening the back door for him, giving him a mock bow as he clambered inside, more than a little confused.

However, all that quickly ceased to be of importance, because the car was so cold and it felt _wonderful_. He leaned his head against the cool window glass, sighing a little.

_It's what, two months? It'll be over before you know it, it'll be over before you know it, it'll be over before you know it..._

"Surprise! You can take that blindfold off now, sweetie."

Ford cracked an eye open; Mabel was in the front seat with–  
_wait a second, no, no, no, no, no–_

"'S about time, Grauntie Mabel, you're being so–"  
The driver twisted around in his seat and locked eyes with him.

And Ford saw red.


End file.
